Tuesday 7 September 2010

Gibela Backpackers Lodge - Guest Comments - August 2010


Thank you so much for having me stay at Gibela. I love South Africa. Coming from Miami, this place is so different and interesting. I love it !! - Alexander USA

Thank-you for your hospitality in this wonderful place!! We loved to be at Gibela! Durban is a great city with a beautiful stadium and beaches. - Anne-Gerda, Paul, Paul jr and Lauriene NETHERLANDS

Had a great time! Just Lovely! ***** Norwegian Girls, Cecilie, Grethe & Hanne NORWAY.

We had a wonderful stay at Gibela's - thank you so much!! It was the nicest hostelwe saw ever since we arrived to South Africa - neat, tidy, pretty and welcoming. We will definately recommend it !!! Lena & Felix GERMANY.

Bellissimo Poste! Beautiful Place ! Chiorci & Rocco ITALY

Thanx for the hospitallity, compliments for the decoration. Very clean and nice situated ! It's in your blood. Good luck and I really recommend Gibela to everyone. Michel NETHERLANDS

I neede a place to soak up peace and quiet. Gibela is exceptional. Love the privacy provided. It feels like an oasis. Anita GEORGIA

Thursday 2 September 2010

Durban - Moyo

The new Moyo is a glass restaurant at the end of the pier that stretches out from its parent at uShaka Marine World. This innovative bar and restaurant was stuck in the planning stages for more than a year, and when it was finally given the green light, there was a huge rush to get it ready for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

In fact, it is almost impossible to find a venue that offers a better “Durban experience” than this one. At night, standing with your back to the pier, you have one of the best views along the city’s golden mile, stretching all the way to the Moses Mabhida stadium to your left. To the right, there’s the harbour mouth and along the beach, fishermen’s fires add a somewhat romantic touch - there’s a completely different night and day experience. From sunset until late, you can enjoy exotic cocktails served at both the bottom and upstairs bars. By day, you can have breakfast or stretch lunch well into the afternoon with a beautiful view along the beachfront and a chance to watch ships entering the harbour.

The vibe at night is hip and young - a spot where the upwardly mobile young set hangs out before heading for the clubs. It’s about chatting and laughing together over a drink before having a bite to eat.

The menu is tappas African-style – a set menu that is designed to suit a very small kitchen. There is no written menu, the selection is carried to the table on a platter and explained to you by your waiter.

The starters are served cold and include a range of snacky bowls containing biltong, dry wors, peppadews, olives, feta and spiced nuts. You can also choose from a sweet-and-sour beetroot salad, an egg briyani, a bean chakalaka and Moyo’s beef carpaccio.

Mains include deboned chicken wings, Moyo’s famous cheese samoosas (as well as the shrimp and meat variety), a selection of cigar-like appetisers with fillings (wrapped in a similar way to samoosas, but shaped like their tobacco counterparts). Each is crisp, freshly prepared and complemented with dips.

Flavourful lamb and chicken tajines provide ideal single meals for the not-so-hungry – or why not do something entirely different and order a selection of dishes to share around your table. As is traditional with Moyo, presentation is strikingly different and in this case each dish is creatively presented with flowers on plates.

And you don’t have to worry about your budget as dishes are priced between R19 and R30 each! Booking isn’t necessary as the staff complement are only too happy to accommodate walk-ins!

Thursday 13 May 2010

Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban

WOW look at these amazing photos of the Durban stadium - a short 20 min walk from Gibela Backpackers Hostel in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
http://blog.grantpitcher.com/

Capacity: 70,000.
Altitude: Zero meters.
High winter temperature: 25 degrees Celsius (78 degrees Fahrenheit) and 16 degrees C (62 degrees F) at night.
Population of city: 3,5 million.

Matches:
Germany vs Australia on June 13
Spain vs Switzerland on June 16
Netherlands vs Japan on June 19
Nigeria vs South Korea on June 22
Portugal vs Brazil on June 25
one second round match on June 28
one semifinal match on July 07

Inspired by the South African flag, this new 70,000-seat stadium features a 106-metre-high (348-foot) central arch whose two legs merge in a tribute to the unity of a once-divided country.

Thursday 6 May 2010

KWAZULU-NATAL WELCOMES INDABA 2010 DELEGATES

INDABA is South Africa’s flagship travel trade show and in 2009 it was attended by more than 12 000 visitors from all over the world.

Indaba 2010 is the 31st Indaba to be hosted and Durban is celebrating the 21st time it has hosted this event. This years it takes place from the 8th to the 11th of May 2010, 33 days before the 2010 FIFA World Cup kick-off. Local and international journalists will see this exhibition as a stepping stone to the biggest event to ever hit our shores.

The importance of this years Indaba is that it is the last big event before the official start of the FIFA World Cup, its is the last opportunity to leverage from the global awareness that have been created by this football spectacular.

With regard to 2010 and with the spotlight fully on the country and the province of KwaZulu-Natal, all the tourism players will reassure visitors that KZN offers tourism experiences that are competitive with that of any of the world leading destinations.

Members of the international tourism trade will be hosted to educational trips around the province where they will get to taste the best of KZN. Delegates will sample some of the finest KZN cuisine and the culture of the people of KwaZulu-Natal .

With the introduction of the Emirates flights in October 2009, many of the Indaba delegates will experience a direct flight into Durban. This will further serve as a market platform for the Dubai-Durban Route.

Gibela Backpackers Lodge is proud to say that we will be hosting INDABA delegates and exhibitors this year from afar afiels as Germany.

Monday 19 April 2010

30 may

PMB to DBN = Comrades - - - Comrades + Sponsors = $ R - - - $ R = technology & turtles """ WATCH THIS SPACE """

Friday 19 March 2010

AA Awards

GIBELA BACKPACKERS LODGE is a FINALIST In the 2010 AA Travel Guides and American Express Accommodation Awards In the category: Backpackers Accommodation. http://www.aatravel.co.za/accommodation/gi3247_gibela_backpackers_lodge.html

Thursday 11 March 2010

Gibela Backpackers Lodge

Està a punto de descubrir un estilo contemporáneo de backpackers, diseñado para ofrecerle una estancia agradable en la ciudad más “cruci-cultural” de Sudáfrica.
Este lodge, tranquilo y con mucho estilo, es propiedad de un antiguo guía y experimentado viajero que tambien lo dirige.
Sus semejantes recibirán acertados consejos y recomendaciones de gran utilidad a la hora de viajar al igual que podrán disfrutar de un gran confort en una maravillosa y relajante atmósfera.

Nuestra situación:
Gibela Backpackers Lodge. Está perfectamente situado en la zona residencial y segura de Morningside. Desde aquí se puede acceder perfectamente andando a la zona de ocio de Durban: Florida Road, donde encontrarán variedad de restaurantes, pubs, cafeterías y bares (consulten nuestra lista de “what’s hot”). Además a sólo unos pasos de la entrada principal de Gibela, se situa una tienda de alimentación, una oficina de correos y un “auto-teller”.
También se puede ir caminando hasta los Jardines Botánicos, las playas Golden Mile, las oficinas de cambio y tiendas de las famosas marcas de ropa especializadas en surf-gear.
Estamos dentro del recorrido de la red de transportes urbanos que os pueden dejar cerca de museos, cines, mercado indio y Mezquita Jam en menos de 10 minutos en autobús desde el hostal.

Comodidades y limpieza: Lo que dicen nuestros invitados:
• si hay hostales en el cielo – serán como el GBl
• habitaciones, camas y duchas son lo máximo
• Definitivamente un peldaño por encima de todos los demás
• Una decoración llena de encanto y muy acogedora : limpieza absluta de todas las facilidades
• El mejor y el mejor dirigido de todos los hoteles en los que nos hemos alojado en Sudáfrica
• Gracias por el hospedaje tan relajante y tan cómodo en el mejor hostal de los que he estado
• No supone ningùn problema estar lejos de casa cuando estás hospedado en un lugar tan bonito

Apreciamos la importancia de tener comodidades limpias, nos aseguramos de que todo lo esté. En este hostal está prohibido fumar.

Las comodidades ofrecidas por Gibela incluyen:
• Sábanas, almohadas y nórdicos (toallas en habitaciones privadas) gratis
• Café y té gratis todo el día
• Desayuno gratis (cereales, yogur, pan y cosas para untar, té, café, zumo de frutas y frutas)
• Intercambio de libros – montones de libros y revistas gratis
• Mapas de Durban & KwaZulu Natal + consejos
• Depósito de equipaje gratis
• Uso de la cocina moderna, limpia y completamente equipada para cocinar usted mismo.
• Parking gratis para coche y bici
• Consulta libre de todas las guías de todo el mundo
• Habitaciones decoradas al estilo Zulú Zen luminosas y limpias
• Cuartos de baño modernos y limpios con agua caliente las 24 h
• Patio acogedor y cómodo al estilo Indio Bohemio
• Internet, P.C. con lectores de tarjetas de memoria y teléfonos públicos
• Secador y plancha – si lo solicitan

Gibela cuenta con 4 habitaciones de dos camas, 2 dormitorios de 4 camas y 2 dormitorios de 6 camas.
Hay 4 cuartos de baños en el hostal con 6 duchas y 5 W.C.
Nuestras habitaciones están aseadas y bien equipadas con camas cómodas, ventiladores en el techo y amplios espacios para las mochilas.

INFORMACIÓN
Sumérjase en la cultura, la historia y la naturaleza del país! Nosotros le proporcionamos INFORMACIÓN de todos los puntos de interés en Sudáfrica:
Qué ver y qué hacer
Dónde alojarse – reservas de alojamientos en Parques Nacionales
Cómo llegar a ellos
Reservas de billetes de autobuses, trenes y aviones
Excursiones de 1 o más días
Nuestro personal le dará los consejos necesarios para circular de la mejor manera por la ciudad – incluyendo visitas guiadas, museos, restaurantes y eventos puntuales.

Durban es un lugar especial. Nosotros en Gibela deseamos compartir la experiencia de nuestra herencia de mezcla de culturas y asegurarnos que su estancia en nuestro “Reino” sea una experiencia agradable y memorable.

Friday 5 March 2010

Gibela in Europe

Been through Europe for a while and would highly recommend when staying in Florence to stay at Academy Hostel. Clean Friendly and very central.
Carcasson in south-west France has an excellent IYHF hostel as well as in downtown Nice.
All top class and well recommended by Gibela as they on a same level as the Gibela Experience.